Music
by angel prototype
Summary: One-shot. When lyrics are more than just words.


**lyrics- paramore, the only exception. forgive the random spaces in between lyrics. ffnet is being retarded...**

* * *

Somber, acoustic notes drifted about the apartment accompanied by melancholy singing. The young guitarist plucked heavily at the strings, fingers dancing along the neck of her guitar in a slow pace. The lights were dim, the mood of the room weighing heavily on slim shoulders. Emerald eyes were closed, her mind all but lost to the music as she strummed away on the ebony instrument.

"_Maybe I know, somewhere  
Deep in my soul  
That love never lasts"_

Her voice was husky, quiet, the words only for herself…or so she had thought. The other occupant of the small apartment had only just returned, shutting the front door with a soft click so as not to startle the younger woman. Shizuru always did love Natsuki's singing, and she was not about to miss the rare opportunity to listen to her dark haired lover's rhythmic words if she could help it.

"_And we've got to find other ways  
To make it alone  
Keep a straight face"_

Bare feet softly carried the brunette just outside Natsuki's door, her back resting against the wall as she listened to the girl strum a little harder, the vibration of the strings tugging at something inside of Shizuru.

"_And I've always lived like this  
Keeping a comfortable, distance"_

Natsuki's voice wavered, her fingers clenching the pic with such force it started to bend. Her eyes opened slowly, gaze lifting to the door as she continued to play. _Shizuru's back…but I can't stop myself. _A sad smile tugged her lips.

"_And up until now_

_I had sworn to myself that I'm  
Content with loneliness"_

Shizuru's breathe caught.  
_  
"Because none of it was ever worth the risk"_

The tempo of the song picked up, Natsuki strumming the guitar with more force than necessary. There was a loud _snap! _followed by a thud and a soft hiss of a curse. Shizuru was in the room in a heartbeat, kneeling by Natsuki's side. The young biker was covering her face, a thin trail of blood slowly trickling through her closed fingers. The brunette glanced at the forgotten guitar, one of the strings bent and curled and stained in red.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru placed her hands over Natsuki's slightly trembling ones. "Are you alright? Where did it hit you?"

The blunette took a breath and slowly lowered her hands, Shizuru's fingers instantly brushing strands of hair from Natsuki's face to assess the damage. She let out a sigh of relief, the steel string cutting just under the girl's left eye. A line of blood was gradually dripping down the curve of Natsuki's cheek before Shizuru gently wiped at it with the pad of her thumb.

"Does it hurt?"

Natsuki blinked impassively and shook her head. "No."

Shizuru frowned and cupped the girl's cheek in her palm. "Natsuki?" _Why is she so…distant?_

The blunette blinked again, the sound of her name rousing her from her slight stupor. "Shizuru. I'm alright." She smiled, but it didn't reach her ears. Shizuru nodded once and rose, taking Natsuki with her.

"Come with me? We need to clean you up."

"Mm."

_Well you, are, the only exception_

_You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception…_

As Natsuki took a seat on the toilet, Shizuru busied herself in the medicine cabinet looking for gauze and ointment. Natsuki watched with rapt attention as the brunette gingerly cleaned the angry welt on her cheek, wincing only slightly when the antiseptic was used.

"Kannin na, Natsuki. I don't want it to get infected."

"It's ok…" _You're always so gentle, why are you apologizing?_

They fell into a heavy silence as Shizuru went about applying ointment and a small bandage. Natsuki was so wrapped in her own thoughts that she hadn't realized her eyes had slid closed until she felt the warmth of Shizuru's lips touch her cheek. Blinking them open she blushed at the close proximity of the older woman and scowled.

"Sh-Shizuru…"

_There's my Natsuki. _The former kaichou smiled and chuckled softly. "I couldn't resist, forgive me. Natsuki looked so peaceful. What are you thinking?"

There was that blush again before the girl turned her head to the side, embarrassment written clearly on her face. Shizuru was curious as to what would cause that infamous blush.

"Natsuki?" She could feel the younger girl's struggle as seconds ticked by, but if Shizuru was known for anything, it was her patience.

"I want…" The blunette growled at her inability to form a thought into words. Instead she leaned forward and took Shizuru's warm hands into her own cold and clammy ones. "I want us…to try." Looking up from their hands through a dark fall of bangs, she smiled gently and gave delicate fingers a squeeze.

Russet eyes widened. "Nat…suki?"

"Move in with me. Stay here. I want my home to be your home, _our_ home. I want to come home to you every day. I want to go to sleep with you at my side and wake up with you in my arms." Natsuki swallowed thickly, the weight and meaning of her words weighing on both her and a stunned Shizuru. But it was too late to go back now, not that she would.

"What…brought this on so suddenly?" Shizuru was still digesting what was just said. _Move in with her? _Sleep_ with her? Oh Natsuki, the things you do to me without even knowing it!_

Cue frantic Natsuki. "I-I've been thinking and, well, you practically live here already so…it would just make sense to, you know, stay. And I could use the company. And half of your stuff is already here. And—mmf!"

Whatever else Natsuki thought about saying was cut off when Shizuru pressed impossibly soft lips against hers in a searing kiss. Emerald eyes flew open... _Shizuru's lips…she's…oh god…_before sliding closed as she finally relaxed in Shizuru's embrace. _Maybe this won't be so bad after all._

_And I'm on my way to believing  
Oh, and I'm on my way to believing_


End file.
